"There is no end to self-knowledge."

The Journey Continues – Rivers of Light & Energy: The Meridians

Although I have been aware of meridians for decades, in respect to acupuncture and acupressure, I never really had taken the time to understand and implement any type of energy work with them until recently. Because of a misconception, on my part, that the only thing the meridians were good for were if you intended to become an acupuncturist or someone who practiced acupressure as a healing modality, I pretty much left any investigation or learning in that area alone.

Once I began reading and studying materials from Donna Eden concerning energy medicine, I began to realize that this was one of a number of energy systems of the body and you could access it for healing in ways other than acupuncture and acupressure. Enlightening, to say the least!

Although it is generally accepted that there are 14 meridians in the body, there is also a theory that there is really only one meridian and it surfaces fourteen times to the body’s surface. I have no idea if this is true or not, but it’s an interesting concept to think about.

The Chinese discovered these rivers or channels of energy over five thousand years ago. This is usually tracked back to a classic text from 2698 BCE entitled, the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic as well as the Materia Medica of the Divine Husbandry. The first is a book that outlines the healing art of Chinese medicine, while the second is a book on pharmacology. So, as you can see, this has been known and documented for thousands of years making it well worth those of us in the West taking it into consideration as a means of assistance in our healing.

The Central and Governing energy pathways are considered to be both meridians and radiant circuits (I’ll talk about radiant circuits in another article.). Both the central and governing meridians/radiant circuits open more directly to the outside world and the energies that surround each of us can enter and exit through them. There is a energy practice called “The Zip Up” that takes only a couple of minutes, at the most, and can help protect you from the negative energies of your environment and the other people in it.

The Central Meridian runs from the pubic bone straight up the front of the body to the bottom lip. By placing your hand at the pubic bone and bringing them upward slowly, as you visualize zipping yourself like a jacket or coat, inhaling deeply as your hands come up to meet your lower lip. Once you reach your lower lip, exhale as you enthusiastically raise your hands heavenward to connect with Spirit. Bring your hands back down to the pubic bone and repeat two more times. Not only does this create a form of protection but it also strengthens the central meridian and it will then strengthen you. It will help you feel more centered and more empowered. It can be practiced numerous times throughout the day, if desired.

The practice of tracing all the meridians helps to keep them free of blocks and flowing freely. This is done by using your open hand with the palm facing the body and either directly touching the body or being within two inches of it and passing your hand over a meridian. The drawing in Donna Eden’s book, Energy Medicine, are excellent for learning the where each meridian begins, ends and travels on the body.

There’s also a method called “flushing” the meridian that can be of assistance when you discover a meridian seems to be weak or when the primary organ of a particular meridian is causing a problem. This method consists of finding how that particular meridian would normally be traced and then tracing it backward, so that the energetic debris is cleared from it. Be sure to inhale while doing this. Once you have done this, exhale as you shake that energy off your hands. Then, slowly and deliberately trace the meridian three times in the normal direction. Like taking a bath, this procedure can’t hurt your body and can help your body perform better.

Space really doesn’t permit me to get in depth with all that can be done with meridian-based energy healing. There are many good books on the market that give details and further information on what I have just touched on here. There are also instructional DVDs and even videos on YouTube that can help you to learn and practice this wonderful art of healing on yourself. The traditional medical community has even begun to seriously look at the use of these energy systems and the potential they hold in the field of healing and health. This is a very good thing!

More and more we are being offered a widening choice in the manner in which we can heal ourselves. From my perspective, it is important to remember that what we call a “healer” is really a misnomer because it is WE who actually do the healing. The “healer” is a guide, in my opinion. If we don’t believe in their methods, if we feel our illness is fatal with no hope of recovery, then it matters not how good the healer’s reputation for healing is – whether they are from the traditional medicine of the AMA or practice some from of alternative healing such as acupuncture, Reiki, crystal healing, aromatherapy, herbalism, etc. If we don’t believe we can be healed, we can’t be. So, please remember –